Tuesday, April 5, 2011

My prayers have been answered ! The Williamsburg Brooklyn Flea !

First, a new grocery store opened up in town (Foodtown of Williamsburg) that is like a real bonafide grocery store - where you can buy Doritos and regular nitrite-full non-organic sausages and things!

And then.

The Brooklyn Flea opened up in Williamsburg ! YAAAAHHHH! It is literally a seven-minute walk from where I live. On the same friggin' street. If that is not fate, I don't know what is. (For previous coverage on the Brooklyn Flea, click here, here, here, here, and here. Ha!)

The opening day for the Williamsburg Brooklyn Flea was beautiful! The event is hosted right along the water, between Kent and the East River in a well-manicured, fenced square of gravel.

Who would not want to dig through junk and rusty goods surrounded by soaring blue skies, the city skyline and loose gravel underfoot?

And eat food!

The food! Let's get to that already!

I was so excited to see a bunch of new faces and vendors...I must pace myself to try them all this summer.

I saw a lady carrying a super fat, piping hot length of sausage from the Brooklyn Bangers. Like. Envy.

Chai sticky bread from Scratchbread. I've been long fascinated by this pastry. So I got it!

Possibly better if warm, it tasted like a tough roll topped with a caramellish goo made of honey and brown sugar. Sea salt added tang and made it more savory than sweet. I think I woulda preferred it to be just sweet!

I was also immediately drawn to their plaintain bread cake with mole pecan streusel. Just look at the heavy cast of ingredient characters: plaintains, bread, burnt caramel, citrus, dried chilies, sugar, chocolate, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, sea salt. In other words: Has to be awesome.

And looks awesome.

That mole pecan streusel topping is a crunchfest of brownsugarynutty love. As Elaine noted, muffin tops are indeed the best: "It’s crunchy, it’s explosive; it’s where the muffin breaks free of the pan and sort of does its own thing." Scratchbread should totally just sell these tops.

The rest of the cake was ultra-dense, more plain in flavor with clear notes of plaintain flavor. It feels healthy (which is how I convince myself I can eat the whole thing :). I'd totally recommend this over the chai sticky bread.

It was more meaty this particular day, with the best crispy skin pieces throughout. I couldn't help but think that everything just tasted so much better riverside in Williamsburg!

I've been waiting all winter for this treat from the Elotes stand.

Reunited, and it feels so good!

Hello, gorgeous.

And watermelon juice?! You know I totally did. Nothing better to welcome the signs of spring!

People's Pops was also present with some springy flavors like Bartlett Pear.

So I got my first pop from them: Bartlett Pear with Organic Cream Ginger.

There were lots of bits of ripened, sweet pear in the creamy pop. The ginger was subtle, adding a light hint of warmth. A nice refreshing way to end the inaugural waterfront Brooklyn Flea day!

With the Flea so close to my home, I fear the worst for my "summer body" goals, but I guess a small, occasional snack never hurt anyone right? When you visit (you know you will), strap down your hats and skirts - I think the new location might be a little windier than usual!

2 comments:

So much want in this post. That muffin top looks insane - I love crunchy streusel bites like that. And the ginger pear popsicle looks awesome, too. I might try something like that soon. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your adventures here!

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